Juxtaposition of a Vampire and a Lawyer
by AnnaChase
Summary: Set during Epiphany. Fills in the blanks between when Angel crushes Lindsey's plastic hand till Lindsey discovers Darla has left. Angel and Lindsey are compared.


**Title: **Juxtaposition of a Vampire and a Lawyer  
**Disclaimer: **All the characters mentioned in here belong to Joss Whedon.  
**Summary: **Set during 'Epiphany'. This story fills in the blanks between when Angel crushes Lindsey's plastic hand until Lindsey realizes Darla has left him.  
**Rating**: K+  
**Genre**: Drama/ Romance  
**Pairings**: Darla/Angel and Darla/ Lindsey references  
**Spoilers: **Up to 'Epiphany', season 2.  
**Feedback: **Always welcome!

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**Juxtaposition of a Vampire and a Lawyer**

'Could have been the other one. Just be glad I had an epiphany.', Angel told Lindsey as he smashed Lindsey's plastic hand to pieces with a sledgehammer.

Lindsey frowned, somehow he just didn't seem to care what physical pain Angel caused him. He had enough mental issues to deal with. Darla, for example. She was in his house, using his stuff, his furniture, his money... but yet she wasn't really there. Not with him, anyway. Strange thing how two people could live so very close yet not connect at all. Not the way Lindsey would want them to, anyway. Sometimes when he was under the shower, or when he couldn't sleep at night, he'd dream about a happy life with a happy, normal Darla by his side. Maybe one or two children as well. Lindsey had always wanted children. He had a lot of brothers and sisters, two had deceased during the flu season a long time ago. That's why Lindsey wanted kids too, he wanted to show that he'd manage to raise them 'without' having lots of debts and problems. He'd give them a happy home, a happy childhood, so they wouldn't have to join an evil law firm to pay for bills they didn't cause themselves. That was Lindsey's dream. But of course, not without Darla by his side. She was his reason, the fuel he needed to go on. Pity she didn't need him the way he needed her. But as long as she was there, and he could look at her and smell that sweet yet seductive smell of her it was enough for him. Enough to keep him happy. But that hadn't been enough for Angel .It had never been enough for Angel. He couldn't have just left Darla alone, now could he? He had to sleep with her, and destroy all the hope Lindsey and Darla had left. That was how Lindsey and Angel differed. Angel never had enough. He needed 'more' good deeds, 'more' redemption, 'more' of Darla! Lindsey took what she would give him, but not more. His life was fine the way it was. Until Angel came and destroyed it.

Lindsey came to a few hours later, still on the same place where Angel had left him after taking his truck. His head hurt like he got beat up by a vampire with twice the amount of strength he had... Which was probably true, but that didn't matter right now. He managed to get up, and tried not to look at the pieces that once were his plastic hand. Somehow, he didn't know how, Lindsey managed to walk home. In the mean time the sun had gone up. He had made it through the night. How? That was complete mystery to him, too. But he did. And he was here. And so was his truck, apparently. He walked over to the damaged vehicle and picked up the note on it that said 'Thanks'. Right. Thanks. Thanks for nothing. He put the note in his pocket and went inside, fearing the worst.

'Darla?', he called out, his heart pounding in his chest. She wouldn't do this to him now would she? Wait.. of course she would. He wasn't her reason. Angel was her reason. And Darla kept Angel and Lindsey connected, close. So it wasn't until then Lindsey really noticed how different he was from the Dark Avenger.

He walked over to the closet they shared and opened it. At the sight of her clothes gone, he stood still and let the disappointment wash over him. She had left. His reason, his dream.

Devastated, Lindsey sat down in his comfortable chair. Was it too early to drink? Who cares, he thought. Darla won't. He grabbed a beer and started to think about everything. She had been his dream, indeed. And the time he'd got to take care of her, and look at her, it had been beautiful. But it hadn't been real. She'd never been his. It hadn't been real for Angel either. He thought she could give him perfect happiness, but she didn't. She was a lie for Angel, and for Lindsey too.

And Lindsey couldn't grow old with a lie, no matter how beautiful. Maybe it was better this way. Things could have been much worse, after all. He took another sip op his beer and glanced at his arm, the one that lacked of a prosthesis. It could have been much worse, indeed. It could have been the other one.


End file.
